Week #9: Write-up

Zena Holloway working underwater

Zena Holloway
Twill Magazine, "Swan"

Zena Holloway
Twill Magazine, "Swan"

This week I was on the hunt for an interesting underwater photographer. I wanted to make this week’s write-up more personal, and incorporate a theme that is important to me. I grew up in a family of swimmers and water-lovers. Knowing how to swim was very important, and I was put into lessons at a young age. I am now a lifeguard and swim instructor myself, and enjoy spending my summers working at a pool, or floating in the waves of the lake at my country house in the Laurentians. I love how peaceful and quiet everything seems underwater, and how light my body feels.

I discovered photographer Zena Holloway, who works solely underwater. She became a scuba diver at a young age, and decided to pair her passion for diving with her love of photography. She fully immersed herself in her art practice, and has become well known in her specific field of photography. “Making one’s own statement as an artist is not a goal to strive toward, but is something that overtakes one in the course of living and working fully.” (Smith, 2011). She has shot cover photos and editorials for many magazines such as GQ and ELLE. She has also photographed a lot of advertisement campaigns for well-known brands such as Speedo, Nike and Herbal Essences. Holloway rents out different types of boats, and likes to work with the same team of professionals when shooting her photos.

The series that caught my attention was her underwater “swan” photos that she took for Twill Magazine. I really liked the contrast that was created between the black water and the white material. There is so much movement created by the flowing dress, and body positions of the model. The girl looks comfortable and warm wrapped up in the material. The photos remind me of how I feel when I linger underwater, calm and serene.

http://www.zenaholloway.com/galleries/editorial/

Work Cited

Holloway, Z. (2014). Zena Holloway. Retrieved from http://www.zenaholloway.com/galleries/editorial/

Smith, M. (2011). On Teaching Photography. Retrieved from http://www.michaelandpaula.com/mp/onteachphoto.html